In 15 days, voters will decide whether to give Mayor Mufi Hannemann a second term or elevate City Council member Ann Kobayashi to the city's top post.

Hannemann's plan to build a $3.7 billion commuter rail system, and Kobayashi's alternative plan for elevated bus lanes, have dominated the campaign so far. But improving the city's transportation system is just one of many challenges the city will face over the next four years.

The Advertiser sat down with both candidates last week to collect their thoughts on the non-transit issues facing Honolulu residents. Today we report on Kobayashi's responses and tomorrow will be Hannemann's turn.

Up until a week before the July deadline to file to run for elected office, Kobayashi was sure she wasn't going to run for mayor.

The 25-year veteran lawmaker, who has worked as state senator and as a city council member, was not up for re-election and wanted to serve out her term tending to the needs of her constituents in her council district.

But in the seven days leading up to the July 22 deadline, Kobayashi said she began to feel a sense of obligation spurred by a desire to offer the voters another option.

Kobayashi decided to enter the race the night before the filing deadline, following a late-night meeting with Democratic party leaders, including former Gov. Ben Cayetano and state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa.

After capturing slightly more than 30 percent of the votes in the Sept. 20 primary, Kobayashi will now square off with Hannemann during the Nov. 4 general election.

Kobayashi, a former friend and Hannemann ally who campaigned for him in 2004, said she felt the city was headed in the wrong direction and that spending practices did not match the tough economic times.

She has campaigned as the candidate who would control government spending and bring transparency and accountability back to City Hall.

ECONOMY

Kobayashi preaches fiscal prudence and is constantly looking for ways to cut spending while lowering city taxes and fees assessed to residents.

The former chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and the City Council's Budget Committee, Kobayashi said she wants to offer economic relief to residents.

As a council member, Kobayashi voted against the city's current $1.9 billion operating budget and made it known she believed the administration could have trimmed more and offered greater relief to taxpayers.

"The economy is in very bad shape, not only here but nationally and globally. We've been spending but are we spending in an efficient manner? Have we been fiscally responsible?" Kobayashi asked.

"We have to tighten our belts in some areas and ensure our rainy-day funds and other accounts where we put our money aside are not tapped."

Kobayashi said she and her staff are developing a four-year economic plan for the city. As part of that plan, she wants to pursue an idea developed by City Council chairwoman Barbara Marshall that would allow the city to draw from money set aside for vacant funded positions. Currently, the money covers overtime and contract hires, but Kobayashi would like to take money from the fund and use it to shore up services.

Additionally, she would like to revise the property tax collection to limit it to what the city needs to operate efficiently.

"The less we spend on running government, the less property tax we have to collect. I think relief is needed especially now — people are losing their jobs. People are paying more for goods, paying more for childcare; we should try and allow our taxpayers to keep their money in their pockets," she said.

INFRASTRUCTURE

In discussing the state of O'ahu's infrastructure, Kobayashi cited the administration of former Mayor Frank Fasi, crediting him with repaving more than 200 lane miles of roads a year. She said keeping to a set schedule of road, sewer and other repairs and using quality materials in the process will help negate the need for costly repair projects.

"The best shape the city was ever in was when Frank Fasi was mayor," Kobayashi said. "We have to have sensible planning for our infrastructure and sensible policies. Here and there we have these little wasteful pockets of spending."

Kobayashi said she wants to revise city procurement practices and focus infrastructure repairs and maintenance on the oldest areas of Honolulu.

Low-income areas of Waipahu, 'Ewa Beach, Nanakuli, Wai'anae, Waimanalo, Kalihi and others should be repaired and beautified, to give residents a sense of pride in their community, she said.

"Sometimes I worry that we may be developing too much. Are we going to have enough water?" Kobayashi said. "If we're going to save money and resources, the urban areas should be developed and this is where density should occur."

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

Kobayashi, as her Web site touts, supports the "three Rs": reduce, reuse and recycle.

She wants to close the Waimanalo Gulch landfill and identify new, affordable technology to convert the majority of O'ahu's solid waste to energy.

Kobayashi did vote to keep the landfill open during the most recent City Council vote this year, but said there were no viable alternatives.

"H-power is really ancient technology and the facility is old. There are other technologies that are just as good but less expensive," Kobayashi said. "This company that talked about converting waste to energy and ethanol would build the plant with their own money. We have to look closely at what system fits our city."

Promoting recycling is a big part of her position on the environment and Kobayashi said she wants to put more bins in public places to make the practice a habit for all.

She also wants to encourage companies to create goods, like park benches and tables, from recycled materials. Government should do what it can to promote businesses that deal in recycled goods.

"It's always been a frustration for me that recycling has really not started islandwide," said Kobayashi. "We should do more to encourage people to recycle."

Decreasing the city's energy consumption is vital to the welfare of businesses, consumers, and government, Kobayashi said.

The more the city saves on energy, the more the city reduces expenses in the city's operating budget. Kobayashi said the savings help offset the pressure to raise taxes and also reduces the impact on the environment.